Plainfield North boys cross country qualifies for state for first time

Jeff Vorva / For the Chicago Tribune

Jack Sebok, middle, led Plainfield North in its first trip to state as a team.

Jack Sebok, middle, led Plainfield North in its first trip to state as a team. (Jeff Vorva / For the Chicago Tribune)

Jeff VorvaChicago Tribune

Plainfield North boys cross country coach celebrates state with hugs

Plainfield North boys cross country coach Andrew Derks was so pumped up when his team qualified for the state meet, he said he was like the late North Carolina State basketball coach Jim Valvano after the Wolfpack won the NCAA Championship in 1983.

"I was hugging everyone and looking around for someone to hug," he said. "If someone wanted to shake hands, I wouldn't do it -- that was a moment for a hug.''

That came on Oct. 31 after the West Aurora Sectional and the good feeling lasted a week later, when the Tigers finished 18th out of 25 teams in the state meet at Detweiller Park in Peoria.

Senior Jack Sebok scored 27 points for the Tigers and he finished 36th overall. Also scoring for North was Brendan McGath, Omar Paramo, James Suchy and Ethan Prior.

"The great thing is that we are starting a tradition here," Derks said. "There are team out here like York, who have been here year after year. But this is our first year. Our kids are starting what we hope can be something big and that's something they can be proud of their whole lives.''

North opened the postseason finishing second in the West Chicago Regional. Neuqua Valley won the meet easily with 15 points followed by North's 94. Sebok took ninth with a 15:45 while Paramo was 18th McGath 19th, Otstott 22nd and Suchy 26th.

The team then performed well on a rainy and cold Oct. 31 finishing second at the West Aurora Sectional. Neuqua Valley was a sold first with 26 points and North was second with 89, far ahead of St. Charles East's 125.

Sebok took sixth with a 15:38, Otstott was 14th McGath 19th, Paramo 23rd and Suchy 27th.

Plainfield South had individual runners at the state meet as Austin Brown finished 92nd, Hunter Dyer was 107th and Andy Bhatia was 24th.

In the girls Class 3A race, North had three individuals qualify.

Senior Rachel Lau was named all-state after finishing 12th in the field.

Freshman Juliana Stogsdill was 52nd in her first state race while Megan Patton was 116th.

South had a pair qualify. Alexis Grigg was 109th and Greta Carlberg was 129th.

A version of this article appeared in print on November 12, 2015, in the TribLocal section of the Chicago Tribune with the headline "Plainfield North qualifies for state" —
Today's paperToday's paper | Subscribe